KARACHI:The American film icon, Sean Penn, visited the Bilquis Edhi Female Child Home in Clifton here on Saturday.

He was accompanied by the Consul General of the United States in Karachi, William Martin.

On arrival he was received by Maulana Abdus Sattar Edhi. Begum Bilquis Edhi was also present on the occasion.

Sean Penn visited various sections of the Edhi Home and saw the students acquiring education. He also visited the classrooms and the computer centre.

On the occasion, he praised the social and humanitarian work that has been undertaken by the Edi Foundation.

Sean Penn said it was an honour for him to get the opportunity to meet a personality like Maulana Abdus Sattar Edhi.

The US Consul General in Karachi, William Martin, later told reporters that it was a pleasure to meet with Edhi Saheb and introduce him to Sean Penn, who is a very famous American actor.

He remarked that he wanted to bring the American film icon to meet one of the great Pakistanis who inspires with his big heart and generosity.

Earlier, Sean Penn accompanied by William Martin visited the shrine of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi. They laid floral wreaths and paid their respect.

Actor Sean Penn visits Edhi Centre, Karachi | Entertainment | DAWN.COM
Legit bro...I guess the NOBEL PRIZE campaign will garner even more international attention. And no don't take it as 'we shouldn't care about the outside world". I think EDHI sahab deserve all credit and appraisal and if world is coming forward to appreciate his relentless dedication to humanity, we as Pakistani should graciously feel proud on it.

A touch of inspiration runs both ways as Sean Penn visits shrine and Edhi home
By Saba Imtiaz
Published: March 25, 2012

KARACHI: In a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, the rather unassuming actor Sean Penn stepped out of his car to meet Pakistan’s iconic humanitarian worker Abdul Sattar Edhi and his wife, Bilquis Edhi, at their home for children on Saturday morning.

While the Academy Award-winning star of Dead Man Walking is instantly recognisable to film buffs, the Edhis were unaware of who their visitor was.

Penn, who was accompanied by US Consul General William J Martin and a slew of consular staff, told Edhi that it was a “great honour” to meet him. “Your name is brought up with reverential appreciation,” Penn said. In return, the Edhis were told about Penn’s philanthropic efforts to help the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

Penn toured the Bilquis Edhi Female Child Home in Clifton, dipping into classrooms where Montessori students sang the nursery rhyme ‘Are you Sleeping, Brother John?’ eliciting smiles from him and Martin. The school at the home has 250 students and offers classes till Matric or tenth grade.

“What are they working on?” he asked Ali Edhi, who was showing him around the eighth graders in the computer lab. “Word, PowerPoint, Excel,” a teacher responded. Penn was also told about the number of Edhi centres nationwide and how the organisation is open for ‘everyone – regardless of faith, class, identity.’

As the aroma of food being prepared for lunch wafted in from the kitchen, Penn stepped into a separate room to chat with the Edhis. Bilquis later told the media that Penn said he had wanted to meet them, and there had been no talk of donations or offers of help. “We get enough from Pakistanis, we do not take money from abroad,” Bilquis said. She said Penn had told them that he was happy to be there and that Pakistan was not as bad as people had made it out to be.

Consul General Martin explained: “On the Pakistan Day weekend, we brought Penn to meet Edhi, a great Pakistani who can inspire us all with his big heart and generosity.”

Penn’s first visit to Pakistan included travel to Badin and Karachi and he was expected to leave on Saturday. Before arriving at the Edhi centre, he also visited the nearby Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine where he paid his respects.